On Saturday, May 19^th Parents Step Ahead in partnership with Nissan worked with parents, students, teachers, and community leaders to organize a day of community service and to learn about some of the most critical issues affecting our children’s safety. More than 200 volunteers participated at John and Margie Stipes Elementary, Lamar Middle School, and Barbara Cardwell Career Preparatory Center in Irving, Texas.

The schools developed special projects based on student needs to enhance the learning environment of each campus. These projects included clothes closets and clothing drive for students in need, school grounds clean-up, and the creation of a parent center.

“It is so exciting to have our parents involved at Stipes Elementary by volunteering and helping us keep our school looking good,” affirmed Julia Peña, Assistant Principal at John and Margie Stipes Elementary. “It sets a great example to our students when they see that the community cares for their school.”

The day began with a kick-off rally at Lamar Middle School with Superintendent Dr. Dana Bedden giving opening remarks for the event. During the rally, families learned about the importance of safe teenage driving habits and how to defend against bullying, especially cyber-bullying. Given that as many as half of all children are bullied at some time during their school years and teens have higher crash rates than any other age group, parents and students were empowered to take a stand and make smart decisions online and on the road. Raul Magdaleno, Parents Step Ahead board member and past Nissan scholarship recipient, was a guest speaker and gave remarks along with Irving City Manager Tommy Gonzalez and Councilwoman Gwen Craig. McDonald’s provided breakfast for all the volunteers.

 “Nissan has been a huge supporter of Parents Step Ahead and our community initiatives. We were excited to have been able to work with them for the second year in a row and celebrate the importance of family involvement,” affirmed Lupita Colmenero, Founder and Chair of Parents Step Ahead. “Promoting community service and family safety are great ways to engage our families and ensure that they are making the decisions that will help them succeed in the future.”